In this inspiring episode of Call to Freedom, Barbara Carmack and Kimberly explore the depths of spiritual rejuvenation through the lens of biblical teachings. Starting with the powerful metaphor of wells of living water, the discussion delves into overcoming human quarrels and finding joy in the presence of God. Listen as they unpack the significance of going beyond surface conflicts to unearth the beauty God has planted deep within each of us. Discover how Isaac’s journey in Genesis 26 serves as a guide for living in peace and abundance. Learn why reconciliation is vital, and how embracing peace over
Welcome to Call to Freedom with Barbara Carmack. This is Jimmy Lakey, and I’m delighted that you are joining us for this half hour. You can reach Call to Freedom at Box 370367, Denver, Colorado, 80237, or by going to the website at www.freedomstreet.org. If you want to leave a message or order a Word Power Daily Reading Bible Guide or a Freedom Street Express newsletter, you can call us toll free at 1-877-917-7256 and leave your name and address, including your zip code. If you want to talk to Barbara right now, she is expecting your call. You may call that same toll-free number, 1-877-917-7256 to speak to her. And now, let’s join Barbara in the studio.
SPEAKER 03 :
Welcome to Call to Freedom. I’m Barbara Carmack, and you’re going to hear from my daughter, Kimberly, who transcribes all this from Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. So I’m so grateful for the technology nowadays. May God lead you to the place where trust leaves no room for worry. And hope lifts you above every care. Remember, if you’re worrying, you’re not trusting. So God leads you to the place where trust leaves no room for worry. And that’s why I’ve really enjoyed this verse of scripture for this week. Romans 15, verse 13 says, Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope by the power of Holy Spirit who is in you. We can’t do anything without him. We really can’t, folks. I’m sorry. Kimberly is… No, I’m not sorry. He’s the only one we can really trust in and depend on. So I’m grateful. Kimberly’s going to talk about that God that is an all-knowing, our source of everything today. So God bless you and take… Let’s see. I’m not going to end the program yet. I’m so glad you’re struggling, too.
SPEAKER 04 :
Can I just say that?
SPEAKER 03 :
I’m interrupting you.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yes. In fact, I was talking with our producer, Rachel, and she made me feel better, too. I feel like I can’t focus. My brain’s kind of foggy. Is this springtime?
SPEAKER 03 :
fever i was asking is do is this a spring fever day and yeah i need some kind of juice to wake me up yes it’s like i have seen i have said this phrase for how many years kimberly you are blessed to dispense for in him you live and move and have your being and i couldn’t even get it out of my mouth today Yes. Oh, I’m glad you’re here. I’m glad you’re on the program and I’m glad you’ve got a wonderful teaching. It’s wonderful. Maybe we’re… Oh, well, yeah. Are you ready or do you have… I interrupted you. No, no, no.
SPEAKER 04 :
You’re good. Yeah. Oh, yeah. We were talking about wells of water and how they’re deep and it’s… It’s not just a physical well that we’re talking about. We’re talking about the metaphor of the well of water, of living water that is in each one of us. Each human being has this water that has been placed deep, deep within us. You know that proverb? I’m just now thinking of it. Proverbs 25, I think I have it here. Proverbs 25, 2. It is the glory of God to conceal a matter or to hide a matter and the glory of kings to search it out. That’s Proverbs 25, 2. And what I love about that scripture is it’s telling us that God has hidden something beautiful down deep in each one of us. every human being has this beauty this living water this fresh spring this it’s something that we can actually give to the world and give to others around us and they experience healing they experience wholeness because of this and it’s the glory of god to hide it in us and it’s the glory of kings and queens us To search it out. But we have to search. We’ve got to go looking for this water, this beauty that’s deep in us. We have to look for it because it’s buried under earth. Yes. It’s buried under the dirt. And that’s what happens with a well. A well, you don’t even know that it exists unless you start digging. You’ve got to dig for the well. You’ve got to get through the dirt and get through the earth to get to that well.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yes. Yes.
SPEAKER 04 :
So the whole nature and the function of a well is to expose and draw up the water that flows deep underground. That’s what we want. We want to expose and draw up the beauty that’s deep within us. We’ve got to get past our human nature, the nature of quarreling and being envious and being angry and irritated. annoyed. And maybe those are my words. Fill it in with any word that you have. Those are good words, yes. Well, that are describing me, I’m saying. But getting past that and finding the beauty of who God is and agreeing, agreeing that that’s how I want to live my life. I don’t want to live my life stuck in the quarreling, in the anger and being annoyed. That That’s not a fun place to live.
SPEAKER 03 :
That’s right. When you look into the face of God, that takes away all that junk. It really does. When you look at the tender, loving care of your Heavenly Father, then all that kind of melts away. It reminds me of, I was watching the cabinet meeting yesterday. And they have a leader whom they respect very much. So if there’s any disagreement, any opposition, any annoyance there among that meeting, we don’t see it because they respect their leader. And that’s what we should be doing. We should be respecting and honoring our leader so much that it gets rid of all of our anxious thoughts and everything that gets involved with disputes and strife. Yeah.
SPEAKER 04 :
And our leader, our heavenly father, our leader has put a piece of his image and his character down deep in each one of us. When we find that place, when we get past all the arguments and opinions and our own agendas, when we get past all that and get down deep to his character and his image in us, and come into agreement with Him, then we start seeing that water flow and blessings flow. And it’s not that we’re trying to get to the water for the blessings. We wanna get to the water because we simply were made in His image and we want Him to have His way.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yes, one to get close to him.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yes, that’s right. That’s what we’re made for. So yes, we were reading in Genesis 26 yesterday about Isaac, and there’s four different wells that Isaac’s servants dug, and they were working on reopening the old ones that his father Abraham had dug, but the enemy had filled all those wells in with dirt. Now, how much sense does that make? Because the world needs water. We need water. Why fill it all back in with dirt? It’s an interesting passage. And I really have enjoyed reading over and over Genesis 26. I keep finding new little nuances in this story. But I’m going to start in verse 19. And it says, but when Isaac’s servants, and it starts with the word but, but when Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of flowing water, the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled, they quarreled with the herdsmen of Isaac. And they said, the water is ours. So he named the well Essek. Because they contended with him. Essek means to dispute, to have strife. And it’s specifically talking about business affairs. It’s a worldly wisdom that will confuse, that will argue people. And so there was this argument going on between the two different Isaacs herdsmen and the herdsmen of Gerar. So he names it Essex. Well, this is interesting to me because he’s trying to find the water. When we as human beings try to find the goodness in ourselves and we try to do something right or do something within the law of the Lord, within the fruits of the Spirit, we’re trying to follow love. or peace or patience with someone we try. And isn’t it interesting when we begin to do that, it’s like that situation, something else comes in and it just gets on our last nerve. And it’s like the dirt just starts coming right back over us. Here we are trying to do something pleasant, to do something kind and good and generous, to be like our Heavenly Father. But the enemy just comes in with arguments, confusion, stress, jealousy. And that happens so often to any of us who try to follow the ways of the Lord. All of a sudden we find ourselves covered up in this dirt. The herdsmen found that and they moved away from there and dug another well.
SPEAKER 03 :
What I find really interesting in this 26th chapter of Genesis is that they tried to dig two wells and get along with them. They didn’t. So maybe some things are better left alone. So he went from there. He moved away from there and dug another well. And this is what Kimberly was talking about. At last, the Lord has made room for us and we shall be fruitful in the land. It’s important that if things don’t work out, if your relationships don’t work out, if you’ve got some real contention going on, just take a breath and chill and go away for a while. Just take a vacation for a while from that relationship. you’ll find that God can really work out things so much better than you can try to do it. I know. I found that true in my life. I’ve tried to undo bad relationships by going and just talking with them. The talking won’t do any good if the opposition is totally in contention with you. So I really find it interesting in verse 22 of Genesis 26. And he moved away from there and dug another well. And they did not… They did not quarrel over it. So he named it Rehoboth. And he said, at last, the Lord has made room for us and we shall be fruitful in the land. We’re reconciled to God. That’s the important thing, folks, reconciled to God.
SPEAKER 04 :
Absolutely. And to recognize that he is the one that makes them fruitful, that makes us fruitful. He’s the one who makes a way for us. Yes. And so when we see that and know that and give him credit, that’s digging deeper. Digging deeper to the fresh water within us.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah. Did you need to finish that thought? No, no. But I’m wondering when he went up from Rehoboth, what does, do you know what Beersheba means? Because then he went up from there to Beersheba. It seems like right here was where he really sought the heart of God. And what does Beersheba mean?
SPEAKER 04 :
Okay. I’m looking for that in my notes. I wrote it down, but hold on. I’m not quite there. Okay.
SPEAKER 1 :
Okay.
SPEAKER 03 :
I’ll let you speak for a moment here.
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, and that was actually Abraham’s name for that well. Abraham is the one who named that well. And in the wilderness of Beersheba is where Hagar was wandering. And that’s where that well God sees me. Not just that he sees, because God never sees us and does not provide. He provides.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yes. Oh, that’s so good.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, it is good. And I like how you brought out that we’re now focused on God. Instead of being focused with our confusion and our stress and our questions and our doubts, which is what we were focused on with the first two wells, because those first two wells were being argued over.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yes. And they knew they needed water, Kimberly. It’s like when God then talked to Isaac. He said, I am the God of your father, Abraham. Do not fear, for I am with you. You know, Isaac might have been fearful. Well, we don’t have enough water for all these flocks. You know, it was flocks and herds and people that needed the water. But God says, don’t fear. Don’t fear. I will abundantly bless you and multiply you for the sake of my servant, Abraham. So there was a peace that God injected into all this confusion and chaos. And God brought peace. He brought peace.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yes, he did. And I’m so glad, again, that you you brought that up because the that’s the point is making peace means we stop arguing and we stop doubting. And that’s a decision that we have to make. If we’re filled with doubts and questions and other opinions, there’s too many of them, you just stop. Just stop with all of that and choose to believe that God is good and he’s making a way. He’s the one who makes room for us and he leads us. So when we get to that place where we’re not quarreling anymore, Beersheba says, In verse 23 of Genesis 26, it says, Then he went up from there to Beersheba, and the Lord appeared to him the same night and said, I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not fear, for I am with you. I will bless you. Here’s God who’s just confirming it. I will bless you. And I will multiply your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham. So Isaac built an altar there and called upon the name of the Lord. That’s it. Yes. And he pitched his tent there and there Isaac’s servants dug a well. Now, this is where Abimelech shows up. Isaac’s servants are not finished digging the well. Abimelech is the king of the, he showed up, he came from Gerar. That’s where they were arguing in the first place over the first well. And he, Abimelech had asked Isaac to leave. He didn’t want him in his territory. Mm-hmm. And so he pushed Isaac out of his territory and he comes back to him. He comes back around. Abimelech comes back around to Isaac. Yeah. And Isaac, verse 27, says to him, why have you come to me since you hate me and you sent me away from you? And Abimelech and his commander said, we see plainly that the Lord has been with you. So we said, let there now be an oath between us, between you and us. Let us make a covenant with you, a peace covenant. You were talking about a peaceful place. Let’s make this a peaceful place. And that’s hard as a human being to put your pride, set your pride down. and say, you know what, I am more powerful than you. I could do damage to your people. And I’m not going to back down. No, we’re not going to have peace. That’s how a lot of people handle situations in families and in work. But here we see that Isaac actually steps back and says, okay, and makes a feast for them. And they ate and they drank together. And in the morning they arose early and exchanged oaths. And Isaac sent them away and they departed from him in peace.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yes. When we give our whole situations and our issues to God and not talk about the people or, you know, all the contention and the enmity there. When we have peace with God, and it begins with that, Kimberly, with God, then anybody who comes on the scene will sense that peace. They will want what you have. They will. And so that’s what Abimelech did. He came to Isaac and he says, well, we see that the Lord has given you a lot of favor. And that’s where reconciliation, that ministry of reconciliation comes in. Oh, begins to do great and mighty things in both sides. Both sides. Yes.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yes. Yeah. So when the Lord sends us people into our circle of influence, I think it’s really good to just notice, okay, this person was drawn to me for a reason and a purpose. Mm-hmm. And it doesn’t matter if any of their physical traits might get on my nerves or irritate me or make me feel impatient in some way. They’re in my circle right now. And because they are, they’re probably searching for peace, more than likely. They’re drawn to that peace. How can I offer some of this peace to them? Now, the very next verse, in verse 31 is where they arose in the morning took their oaths, and this king and his commander departed from Isaac in peace. And the very next verse, now it came about on the same day that Isaac’s servants came in and told him about the well. The well. The well. The well. Which they had dug and said to him, we have found water. This is the big one. Yes. They called it Sheba. And it’s that area is called Beersheba. To this day, there is an area in Israel called Beersheba. And I have heard, and I don’t have pictures of it, and I want to do some research and make sure that I am actually repeating this accurately, that that area, that fountainhead there is so large that many wells were dug off of that fountainhead. And they still exist to this day around the city of Beersheba.
SPEAKER 03 :
Oh, that’s amazing, wow.
SPEAKER 04 :
So I think it’s really important that we see this last well, the big well, Beersheba where God not only sees but provides. And doesn’t he always provide abundantly? It’s always abundant. It’s always more than enough. When the people of Israel were in the wilderness and they wanted meat, he dumped so much meat on them that they were sick of it because there was so much. It’s just abundance. When we look at this last well and see that it came with a reconciliation, that’s how important the ministry of reconciliation is. Reconcile with those that you feel like you can’t be reconciled with. And don’t give up. Don’t give up. I think I was talking about my cousin Donald and how he had tried to put a family reunion together. And he told me, I will never do that again because there was so much griping and grumbling and complaining and jealousy and bitterness. And he said it wasn’t even fulfilling at all. wow we need to learn to just lay those things down but when he said i don’t ever want to do that again my heart was kind of thinking yeah i i do understand that but good for you for trying yeah sow the seed and try try to get people to be reconciled with one another because there’s nothing more meaningful to our heavenly father That is what we’re all here for. Look at us. There’s 8 billion of us currently on this planet, and we’re all so different that we cannot, not two of us can agree on every single thing. That’s right.
SPEAKER 03 :
We can’t. That’s right.
SPEAKER 04 :
We can’t agree on all of it. So diversity exists in order for unity to be practiced. And we can’t practice being in unity with each other in harmony. We can’t even practice honor, honoring each other until there is conflict and disagreement. But once there’s conflict and disagreement, we can start practicing honor, practicing unity and practicing harmony. And that is what is most important to our God, to our creator.
SPEAKER 03 :
That’s why he put us here. That’s right. Oh, praise God. Go ahead.
SPEAKER 04 :
Isaac is actually uncovering, he’s digging up these wells. I’m going back to the idea of digging it up. And the wells that his father had dug to really be in relationship with God had been covered up. in one way or another. Maybe it was stress, you know, and on Isaac’s watch, they were covered up. So here’s his wife, Rebecca, who can’t get pregnant. He really wants children with her. She wants children with him. That’s a big deal back in those days. And maybe there’s stress with that. There’s doubts. There’s all kinds of worry. And when you look at that, that’s the dirt coming back in. That’s the human tendency of thinking, oh, this is never going to work out. But God, but God, yes, he’s got the plan. It’s not our plan. It’s his plan. And Isaac was uncovering the things that had become covered up and obscured and shrouded in tension and conflict. And as he’s uncovering those things, he’s ensuring that a ministry of reconciliation and that the knowledge of the Lord will keep flowing into this world. That’s why it’s so important for us to see this story. Yes, it’s an actual story in history, but see it as a metaphorical story. Keep digging, keep digging up your wells, the wells that maybe your parents or your grandparents or your aunts or uncles, those who’ve prayed over your family, dig, dig deeper and re-dig the spiritual wells in your life. Dig up the ones that have been dug before by your ancestors, but also dig up new ones. Dig up brand new wells in your life and start looking at things in your life that could be different, that could be lived in joy and in kindness and in patience. And yeah, we can’t do that on our own. We need help. That’s why we invite God into it. Call upon the name of the Lord and let him be the one to help.
SPEAKER 03 :
That’s right. Because we cannot get along with everybody, even our family, even our sons and daughters. We can’t get along with them. We’ve got to go to God, Kimberly.
SPEAKER 04 :
That’s right. I know we’ve run out of time, but I just want to end by saying that God promises His yoke is easy and His burden is light. That’s in Matthew 11. And this yoke of His heals us from our very sick human desire to be like everybody else. We really want to be like him. So I’m just leaving you with this idea to come apart. Come ye apart. Like second Corinthians six tells us, come ye apart and be separated and dig past all of the dirt and the earth in your life to the fresh waters that are hidden deep within.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yes. Oh, thank you so much. We are seeking that living water today in every relationship we have, Kimberly. God bless you and keep you. And folks, I want you to know that you can dig those new wells in your heart. God bless you and keep you and take joy.
SPEAKER 1 :
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SPEAKER 01 :
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In this inspiring episode of Call to Freedom, Barbara Carmack and Kimberly explore the depths of spiritual rejuvenation through the lens of biblical teachings. Starting with the powerful metaphor of wells of living water, the discussion delves into overcoming human quarrels and finding joy in the presence of God. Listen as they unpack the significance of going beyond surface conflicts to unearth the beauty God has planted deep within each of us. Discover how Isaac’s journey in Genesis 26 serves as a guide for living in peace and abundance. Learn why reconciliation is vital, and how embracing peace over
